CHICANERY

The first review of my new novel published this month, CHICANERY Niyogi Books 2024. Chicanery - The title of the book - if you know the word, you know it, even if you do not know, it's a word which entices you at the edge of your sense of vocabulary, mischievously familiar! The novel is a mix between a crime thriller and a political dystopia, with "dashes" of romance. The main protagonist is living in self-imposed exile, as he is the ultimate persona-non-grata in his homeland, and will be executed as an enemy of the state if he goes there. The book is set in the current day, and the main protagonist had been forced to leave approximately 20 years earlier. It is set in a fictional country, and the beauty of the book is that this fictional country could be any country in the current times! The book engages in a clever & abstract political & social commentary, and the tone is of subtle satire tinged with sadness at the state of affairs. Of course, in the novel, all is well that ends well ... but, is it also so, in the world we inhabit? - the novel very effortlessly steers our thoughts to the parallels in our home world and home country, while also leaving us wondering, whether the fictional country might be Mexico-like ( the main protagonist flees to the USA)... or maybe a USSR fragment ( the name of the main protagonist is "Cyomared"!). & the happenings are so eerily contemporary & familiar, that possibly any reader in any country today will relate to it! The plot is uncomplicated and forthright, evocative of James Hadley Chase's novels. The story is pithy, focused & with a prominent moral compass, but in no way preachy. The suspense is tight, & the pace is just perfect, neither lagging nor hasteful. The language is very simple & the storytelling is fluid & enjoyable. The characters are relatable, they're just like you and me... they think & they feel & they yearn for simple pleasures. The characters are written in a focused way, with emphasis for the values that they stand for. This gives the book a mystical parable-like quality, in which the characters transcend their identities & become every man & every woman. Overall, it is a satisfying, contemporary, languid, &, above all, topical read! Happy Reading! Shreela Sen. India Book Club Website: timerinmurari.com